ORGANISATION AND EMPLOYMENT OE SIEGE ARTILLERY. 545 
Only certain men can lay a gun well , moreover, each man has his own 
personal error in laying : that the fire may be as accurate as possible, 
it is therefore desirable to select a N.C. officer or man to lay, and keep 
him at that duty, in the event of the officer not laying himself. 
Before darky full preparation should be made for night firing by planting 
picket rods, adjusting hanging scales, marking out lines of sight, &c. 
A few trial shots should be made, using these to ascertain that all is 
correct, or if not so, to make any alterations needed. 
Generally speaking, it is best to fire from one flank to the other , 
commencing at that flank whence, by reason of any wind, the best 
observation of the fire may be obtained. 
When firing at objects difficult to see, the following plan may be 
adopted :—Lay the gun accurately, with proper elevation and de- 
flection, on the object, then plant two picket rods in the plane of sight 
to the front,* and notice where the line of sight cuts the first picket, 
make a mark at this point, and lay subsequent rounds on the mark. In 
dull heavy weather, or when the wind is blowing directly from the 
battery to the enemy, the object is often obscured for long by the 
smoke; time may be saved by the above method, which is also much 
easier than to lay on a distant work perhaps scarcely discernible, 
To dismount ordnance, endeavour to strike them directly. If they are 
under cover, try to destroy the cover as well as the guns. Shells 
bursting short will not prove effective for such purposes, 
Parapets and traverses can be best destroyed by cutting them down from 
the top. Shells striking low down and bursting do but little damage ; 
any, however, which pass through and burst will have a good local 
effect (the velocity being small) on men behind. 
A general knowledge of the (( vertical and horizontal zones of fire ”f 
of the ordnance is needed as a guide to determine the point on which 
to lay. Practically speaking, the range may be considered as correctly 
found when the number of shots falling short of and beyond the object 
aimed at are equal, whilst the direction is so when as many fall to the 
right as to the left of this object. 
Bearing in mind these points, and the direct result sought after 
from the fire, we are enabled to judge where to lay, and when the 
range and direction are correct. For instance : when bombarding an 
enemy’s work generally, or enfilading certain of its faces, the point 
of aim would be inside the crest of the parapet, a distance equal to half 
the horizontal spread of the gun; so that shots under or over would 
still fall in the work and be effective. Again, to disable guns en barbette 
or on overbank carriages, the crest of the parapet would be the best 
point to lay on. Shots striking high might then hit the gun, and 
those low, passing through the weaker part of the parapet, destroy 
the carriages. 
* In many eases it may not be possible to plant pointing rods in front; they cap, how? 
ever, always be fixed in rear of the guns. By doing this, and using sights as proposed by 
Captain French, C.M.G., R.A. (vide Chapter I.), fire can be maintained with the usual accuracy, 
independent of all weather (rain, fog, &c.) and circumstances rendering the object obscure, 
f Vide “ Principles of Gunnery; liified Ordnance,” Chapter VIII. 
Practical 
directions 
as to dis¬ 
mounting 
ordnance, 
destroying 
parapets, 
&c, 
Practical 
directions 
as to “point 
of aim.” 
70 
